Moment of Truth
by tojo1973
Summary: The standoff. Four people. Four lives. This is what is has come down to. Liason, possibly Sucky
1. Chapter 1

There they were: the four of them. This is what it has come down to. The past year has been all about these four people, and where they belong. Elizabeth looked around at the three faces before her, studying them.

Her eyes landed on Sam. This woman was a piece of work, that's for sure. Her past was chock full of indiscretions and cons, not to even mention the immense pain she had put Jason through. Through it all though, she still had the unmitigated gall to judge Elizabeth, playing the ever popular "poor me" card whenever she saw fit. She ran and told anyone who would listen how Elizabeth wormed her way into Jason's bed. Not once did she own up to the fact that Jason had caught her with her step-father and probably the one person Jason hated most in this world. Funny how she could conveniently forget that part, all the while trashing Elizabeth to anyone who could stand to listen. The fact that this woman had known about Jake since he was born and never said a word, only manipulated both Jason and Elizabeth for her own purposes made her look desperate and slightly delusional. There was a time during this past year when she would have stepped aside and let Jason be happy with Sam. She knew how Jason felt about her, and if Jason was happy, then so was she. But after witnessing the woman manipulating and scheming to get what she wanted, she couldn't do it anymore. Jason deserved better. While, she felt bad that this whole thing had hurt Sam, a part of her felt good that this woman that has run havoc on both hers and Jason's lives will finally get a small piece of what she truly deserves.

She moved her eyes to the man she had thought she would spend the rest of her life with. This man had been the person who picked her up and helped her move on from a horrifying experience. They were mere children when they pledged their lives to each other, placing a permanent lock on their love. Sadly, she didn't see that boy in the man standing in front of her. What she did see was a controlling, self-destructive sorry excuse of a man. How she ever thought she could live with this man after he had ripped her world apart, she would never know. He had risked her life and the life of her son for his addiction, and fell into bed with someone who was barely an adult. All the while, he blamed his actions on others, namely her. And after all of that, everyone still expected her to forgive and forget. She tried so hard, even hurt someone who meant so much to her for his sake. As she looked at him now, she realized it was futile, at best. She'd always known deep down that she couldn't keep up with the lie forever. Her heart would eventually win out over her head. As much as she still loved Lucky, it wasn't the same. It was that of an old friend, not of a husband. She hoped that somehow, someday, she could call him friend, but knew that she needed to break that permanent lock, because they were different people now, and her heart belonged somewhere else now.

Finally her eyes rested on the man who held her heart, probably since that first night at Jakes all those years ago. Feelings that she thought were long gone came to the surface that hot August night, and they've just gotten stronger as the months went on. She saw in his eyes how much pain he had gone through due to Sam's betrayal. She understood where that pain was coming from; she herself had to be a witness to the same thing. She saw how he blamed himself for initially walking away from Sam, so she could be safe. Jason was always thinking about how he could keep the people he cared about safe. She knew that was one of the reasons he never went after her after she walked away from him so many times. Asking him to give up his child was the worst mistake she ever made. She knew what being a father meant to him. She was so convinced that his future lied with Sam, and there was no way she wanted to be an obligation to him. She was so blinded by her own obligation to Lucky and making sure he stayed clean, she put aside her feelings for this wonderful man who has always been on her side for as long as she'd known him, the one man who just wanted her to do what she wanted to do, not what people expected. He was the one person who knew the real her. She never thought she could love anyone the way she used to love Lucky. She'd since come to realize that the love she had had for Lucky didn't compare to the love she held for this man in front of her. This man, with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, ones that could see right into her soul. She didn't know that she would ever have the chance to make up for everything she had done to him, but if she ever had the opportunity again, she would grab it with both hands and hold on for dear life.


	2. Chapter 2

The silence in the room was deafening. The four people stood in the penthouse living room, each one looking at the other three, wondering when the silence would end. Jason took in a deep breath. Deep down he knew this day would come. He knew he would have to face the truth and these three people. Now that it was here, he really didn't know what to say.

He looked over to where Lucky stood, noticing the anger and rage in his eyes. He was concerned of just what the man would do. Desperate men do desperate things, and Lucky fit that description right now to a tee. He mentally kicked himself for allowing the person before him anywhere near his son. He was no shining example of fatherhood, not by a long-shot. It wasn't just his controlling attitude, it was the whole package. He was domineering and possessive. He was careless and selfish. The man berated his wife, the one woman who should be cherished, in front of anyone who happened to be there. He treated Cameron like he was second-class because the boy was not really his. He couldn't grasp why anyone could do that to such a great kid. Cameron was a boy any father would be proud of, biological or not. Jason shook his head in disgust, thinking of the crap this idiot had pulled in the last year. Taking drugs, sleeping with Maxie and cheating on Elizabeth. On Elizabeth?! The dumbass had everything Jason ever dreamed of, but never thought could have, in the palm of his hands and he threw it away. For what? Pills and a little twit of a girl? When he had everything waiting for him at home? What kind of person does that?

He turned his attention to the woman standing across from him; the woman who he thought he had a shot at happiness with. She was not the woman he fell in love with. She was someone else entirely, and he didn't like who this person was at all. The guilt he had carried about her being shot ate at him for so long, and she held on to that guilt and used it to her advantage. When her past misdeeds came to life, Jason was shocked, to say the least, but he knew that it was different with him. After hearing that she had known about Jake for weeks and didn't say a word, only manipulated and schemed for him to admit it, made his trust for her disintegrate. Her obsession with having his child had gotten to a point where he truly feared for her sanity. While he'll always have guilt for the way things happened, he suddenly felt this weight lift off his chest. He realized that he was letting his guilt for what happened keep him with her, and that wasn't fair to either of them. He wanted her out of his life, and nowhere near his family.

He then set his eyes on her. The one woman who always seemed to be there. Even when they weren't talking to each other, all he needed was a nod or a smile, and he would be okay. Knowing that she was around and she was happy seemed to satisfy him for a time. Then after the whole Manny incident, she started becoming more and more entangled in his life. She was always around when he needed her, whether he knew it or not. The fact that she shredded evidence for him without blinking astounded him. He always knew that he had feelings for her, but he locked them away deep in his heart. He believed he never had a shot with her, and didn't deserve one. She was so much better than the kind of life he could give her. She deserved to be free. When she came to him that hot August night, she saved him. The first time they made love it was two people reaching out for comfort from each other. The other times were about them reconnecting. They both said it was only for that night, but deep down, he knew he wanted forever. He didn't know it at the time, but that night solidified his connection to this beautiful woman in the form of a child; their child, Jake. That beautiful baby will bond them together forever. That thought alone kept him sane during those months when he tried to stay way. He really did try. But after she inadvertently told him she loved him, the pull was too strong. The pull toward his family: Elizabeth, Cameron, and Jake. He knew that he wanted the whole package, and he wanted them forever. It wouldn't be out of obligation. It would be out of love; love for the little boy with curly hair and smile like his mommy; love for the baby who was created from the most magical night of his life; love for the woman who was always just out of his reach until now. Now was his chance, and he needed to speak up. He didn't want to mess this up this time. He needed to set the record straight, for everyone here.


	3. Chapter 3

A few minutes passed, no one wanting to start the conversation. The air was thick with tension. The only sounds anyone could hear was the sound of each person breathing.The silence was finally broken by Lucky, who barely spoke above a whisper.

"Tell me it's not true." His head was down, his eyes directed to his feet as he spoke. There was a pleading tone to his voice; desperation for someone to tell him what he had just heard was false.Elizabeth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to be strong. This was the moment she couldn't back away from.

"Lucky, I-"

Lucky looked up at her, anger blazing in his eyes.

"Tell me Jake is my son, Elizabeth! He's my son!"

Elizabeth shook her head from side to side."I'm sorry, Lucky. Jake is Jason's son." Tears fell from Elizabeth's eyes as she spoke, her voice stronger than she thought it would be.

Lucky choked back a sob, wiping at his face. "How could you---how could you let me believe he was mine? What were you thinking?"

"She was thinking she would protect her saintly image and no one would know what a slut she really is!" Sam stood there with her hands crossed over her middle, her face smug as she looked over at Elizabeth with venom clearly in her eyes.

"Sam! That's enough. We both had our reasons for not saying anything." Jason was not going to let Elizabeth take full responsibility for this. He had a hand in keeping this secret.

Sam looked over at Jason and snorted, shaking her head."That's right, Jason. Defend your whore. Doesn't matter that she got everything that rightfully belongs to me!"

"Sam, Elizabeth is Jake's mother! We didn't plan for her to get pregnant, we actually took precautions, but they didn't work! I can't change that."

Sam sneered. "Do you even want to, Jason?"

Jason shook his head and looked down, his hands on his hips. He was trying to keep his emotions in check."Sam, don't-"

"Answer me, damnit! If you could, would you want to change it?" Sam looked at him, expecting to hear what she wanted him to say.

Jason swallowed the lump in his throat. If there ever was an opening, this was it. His eyes drifted from the woman he'd spent the last three years with, to the woman who he couldn't ever really let go of. He looked into her eyes and saw the same question written in them. "No, I wouldn't want to change a thing." His voice was clear and confident. The relief on Elizabeth's face made him sigh.

Without warning, a fist came flying in his direction, landing squarely on his jaw. His head went flying back, and before he regained his footing, Lucky was grabbing him by his t-shirt.

"You son of a bitch! You slept with my wife!" Lucky was in his face, screaming at him. It only took another second before Jason responded in kind, grabbing Lucky's wrist and pulling him off of him. Lucky fought back as best he could, trying to keep his hold on Jason, but Jason kneed him in the stomach, causing Lucky to fall to the ground.

"Stop it! Just stop this!" Elizabeth was screaming at the top of her lungs.

Jason, breathing heavy from anger looked over at her, his lip bleeding from the strike. Lucky was on his knees, grasping his stomach. A silence fell over the room once again.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Wow, the princess speaks and everyone follows."

Elizabeth turned toward the annoying sound of Sam's voice and glared at her. The look she had on her face clearly made Sam feel uncomfortable, causing her to look anywhere but at the woman who was making her way right in front of her.Elizabeth stood right in front of Sam and stopped, her eyes blazoned with hate for this woman.

"You listen to me, Sam, because I will only say this once. I did not set out to sleep with Jason that night. We were both in very bad places, namely because the people we were supposed to be in love with betrayed us! You remember what you were doing that night, don't you? If not, let me refresh your memory," she got up really close to her, her voice confident and clear, "You were rolling around on your mother's floor having sex with your step-father. You remember Ric, right? Jason's enemy."

"Ric took advantage of me, he-"

"Shut up! Not one more word about how Ric took advantage. You knew exactly what you were doing, according to what Jason told me he saw. I know what being taken advantage of feels like. I know what having someone forcing themselves on me feels like. So don't stand there and play the victim anymore, Sam! You did it! Have the decency and the class to own up to it!"

"So what does that make you, Elizabeth? I'll tell you, anger sex. Revenge sex. He needed to get his rocks off, and you were just the willing participant. He realized his mistake right after it happened." Sam sounded so cocky; Elizabeth was itching to smack the taste right out of the bitch's mouth.

Elizabeth's mouth curved up into an evil grin."Is that why it wasn't just one time that night? Is that why we did it," she got face to face with her, "multiple times?"

Sam's eyes grew big and she turned to look at Jason, who was quietly watching the exchange, ready to intercede if needed. He was impressed by the way Elizabeth was handling herself. She had a confidence about her that he hadn't seen in a while.

"You told me it was a mistake."

"No, Sam. I never said it was a mistake. I never said I regretted it. I could never regret that night."

Sam nodded. "Right because of Jake, because you made Jake that night."

"Yeah, we made Jake that night." He took a deep breath before continuing. "But it was so much more than that."

Sam's shoulder's started to shake, tears streaming down her face.

Lucky, who was silently seething during the whole scene, shakily stood up and turned toward his wife."Was it just that night, or were you sleeping with him for a while? Was it Jason I should have been worried about when I was focusing on Patrick? How long had you two been going at it?"

Elizabeth turned toward Lucky, and suddenly felt a shift. The responsibility for him suddenly seemed to lift from her shoulders. Of course, he would turn this all around on her. This would turn out to be all her fault, right from the beginning.

"Jason has always been there for me. He is the one person I know I can go to and not get lectured about what he thinks I should do. I went to him that night because I had just seen you in MY bed with Maxie! I had nowhere to go! He was there, and he was in the same pain as me. We reconnected. That was the only night we spent together, Lucky. I never cheated on our marriage. As far as I was concerned, our marriage was already over!"

Lucky laughed bitterly."Let me ask you this question, Elizabeth. The reason you remarried me, letting me believe Jake was mine. Was it because you actually loved me," he looked from her to Jason, and back again, "or was it because you couldn't have who you really wanted?"


	4. Chapter 4

_"Let me ask you this question, Elizabeth. The reason you remarried me, letting me believe Jake was mine. Was it because you actually loved me," he looked from her to Jason, and back again, "or was it because you couldn't have who you really wanted?"_

The question hung in the air for a moment. Elizabeth closed her eyes, letting the tears fall down her cheeks.

"Tell me, Elizabeth. Why did you remarry me? What was that all about? I was willing to let you go, don't you remember!"

She opened her eyes and looked at Lucky. Seems no stone would be left unturned before this night was over.

"When we were stuck in the elevator, I told Jason that he was the father. We decided we needed to tell both of you as soon as we were able to. I was ready to tell you."

Lucky stood there listening, not looking at her as she spoke. His hands clenched tightly on his hips.

"Why didn't you?"

She looked down at her feet, remembering that night. "Sam came in and she told me that she just informed Jason that she can't have children. I knew he didn't tell her, and I determined that because of Sam's news, he wouldn't. I knew Jason would never want to hurt Sam that much after hearing her news."

"But I let you go Elizabeth. You could have told me then."

She shook her head. "I was scared. Lucky, the only reason you went to rehab is because of the baby. You didn't do it for me, or for Cam. You did it because you thought you were having a baby! How was I supposed to take that away from you? You'd already learned that Maxie lied about her baby, how was I supposed to take this one away from you too?"

"So, that's what this was all about, pity? What, poor little Lucky needs to be saved, so you better not tell him the truth?!"

"Yes!"

Elizabeth had had enough. She was past keeping this all in. He wanted to know everything; he was going to get an earful. Sam and Jason would just have to hold on to their hats.

"Even after everything you did, after everything you put me through last year, I still had to hear from everyone how you deserve a second chance. You saved me, now it was my turn to save you, never mind the countless times I'd done it before that! Somehow, when Lucky is in trouble, it's Liz's responsibility to pick him back up. It doesn't matter what he does or says. It doesn't matter that the pills he was taking could have hurt my son. Doesn't matter that he had sex I don't know how many times with a teenage girl who was supplying him with his drugs and supporting his habit. None of that mattered. What mattered to everyone was that I fix you, like I always do. It never stopped. 'He's going to rehab, Liz. Give him a chance, Liz. He needs you, Liz.' It didn't matter to anyone what I wanted. I wanted my husband to not get hooked on drugs in the first place. I wanted my husband to not sleep with Maxie, all the while accusing me of cheating with Patrick! But I didn't get that. Instead I got empty promises. And still, I had people in my ear telling me you deserved another chance."

"Poor little Elizabeth," Sam muttered bitterly under her breathe, rolling her eyes. Jason glared in her direction, the threat clearly in his eyes. Sam squirmed uncomfortably where she stood, closing her mouth.

"It was so easy to break free of me, Elizabeth," Lucky said softly. "All you had to do was tell me the baby wasn't mine and you would have been rid of me."

Elizabeth snorted. "How could I have done that when you based your whole recovery on that baby?! Not for me, the woman you claimed to love; not Cam, the child you say you think of as your own son, but the baby that you thought was yours!"

"Come on, Liz! That's not the only reason you kept this from me! Tell me, was I the consolation prize? Jason didn't want you, so you go with what you can get?"

"I was ready to tell Jason the truth after the paternity test came back. Carly, unfortunately jumped to the wrong conclusion and got to him first. He told me that it was for the best that the baby was yours. I didn't correct him because I thought he was happy and that he can move forward with Sam. I didn't want to mess up his happiness out of obligation to me and the baby. When he was hurt after the shootout, I found him. I told him then, but he was out of it. There were so many times I wanted to tell the truth, but didn't know how.""Answer the question, Liz.""Yes, okay! Part of it was that I didn't want to end up alone! I knew you loved me, and I thought if I went back to you, then Jason wouldn't feel obligated! I asked him to keep Jake's real paternity a secret so we wouldn't hurt either of you. The more time went on, the more it killed me that he was making this sacrifice."

She turned her head in Jason's direction not looking at him as she spoke."If Jason was happy and he loved Sam, I was not going to be the one who got in the way of that. I wasn't going to be his obligation, and it didn't matter how I felt about him."

Jason's voice came out in a whisper.

"Yes, it did."

She looked up at him, startled.

"What?"

"It mattered Elizabeth. It still does."

The stared at each other, their eyes conveying what their mouths were never really able to.

Lucky cleared his throat and rolled his eyes.

"Okay, can you stop with the eye sex for five minutes?"

Elizabeth shook her head to regain her focus. She turned back around to look at Lucky.

"I'm done, Lucky. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I lied to you, but at the time I thought I needed to save you from yourself. I realize now that you are a grown man, and need to take responsibility for yourself, and I can't always be the one to pick you up. Jake is not your son. I should never have let you believe he was. Not only was I not fair to you, but I was selfish to try to hold on to a dream we had when we were kids. You are not the boy I fell in love with all those years ago. You don't want the woman I've become; you want the girl I used to be. I can't do that anymore."

She turned around and stood in front of Jason. She was on a roll, and if she had to confess, it was all going to come out now, let the chips fall where they may. She looked up into his clear blue eyes that were slightly clouded with tears.

"You didn't have to sacrifice your son, but you did. I thought that it was so you can be with Sam. I went back to Lucky because I thought if you thought that I was in love with him and wanted a family with him, you wouldn't feel obligated in any way. A part of me still wanted to save him too. Mostly, I just wanted to see you happy. As time wore on, I saw that you weren't but I didn't know how to fix it. I didn't want to rip your world apart, Jason. I'm so sorry that you were kept from your son. I'm so sorry." She broke down in deep sobs, her knees buckling under her.

Jason caught her before she hit the floor, cradling her in his arms, caressing her hair softly.

"Its okay, Elizabeth. I understand. Shhh. It's okay." He gently took her chin in his hands and moved her face to look up at him. "We have a lot to talk about, and a lot of misunderstandings to clarify." His eyes held a promise in them, and she nodded slowly, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Jason, you can't tell me you are falling for this crap are you?" Sam's voice echoed through the room, filled with hate and venom.

His eyes turned cold as they moved to her. His voice was calm and devoid of any emotion.

"I'm not falling for anything, anymore, Sam. I'm done with the secrets. I'm done with the lies."

Sam nodded and walked closer, stuffing her hands in her back pockets, turning on the sweet act.

"Good, then we can sit down and go over some sort of custody arrangement. I'm sure Jake would love spending some of his time here with us-"

"There is no us, anymore Sam." Jason looked at her, his gaze as cold as ice. "You won't come anywhere near Jake or Cameron or anyone."

Sam's eyes grew big, "But Jason, he's your son, you have every right-"

"And you've known all along haven't you?"

She looked down guiltily, and then quickly tried to recover.

"No, no this is the first-"

"Stop the lying, Sam." He gently placed Elizabeth onto the couch, kissing her forehead softly before turning around and facing Sam.

"You've known since Jake was born." His breathing was shallow, his anger coming to the surface again. He fought to stay calm and composed. "Why didn't you say anything?"


	5. Chapter 5

_"You've known since Jake was born." His breathing was shallow, his anger coming to the surface again. He fought to stay calm and composed. "Why didn't you say anything?"_

Sam snorted bitterly, shaking her head. "Why didn't I tell you? That's a question I can ask you, Jason. Why didn't you inform me that Saint Elizabeth here had your son!"

"That's enough, Sam! Stop deflecting. For once, tell me the truth!"

"Fine! I knew. I found out when I went to the hospital and found you in Elizabeth's room talking about your big sacrifice. You were just going to keep me in the dark, weren't you? You couldn't trust me with it, or with your son, could you?"

He looked her dead in the eye, a cold-distant expression covering his face.

"No, I didn't trust you, and now I know it was with good reason."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Because you could have come to me, and confronted me with it, but instead you decide to scheme and manipulate me into telling you! All those times we conveniently ran into Elizabeth and the boys that was just a scam right, Sam? But you should know about running scams, shouldn't you?"

Sam's face went white as a sheet.

"What are you talking about?"

"When I was in lock up I got a visit from Amelia. She informed me of your past. How you scamming rich men into marrying you and running off with their money. The last time you ended up killing your mark."

"Jason, listen, that was a long time ago-"

"I don't really want an explanation for any of that Sam. That was a long time ago, and I have no right to judge you. What concerns me is how you went about getting me to tell you about Jake. You cried to me about how Alexis manipulated you by not telling you she saw you and Ric together for months, and then you go and do the same thing to me."

Elizabeth couldn't help but comment."Guess the apple doesn't fall too far."

"Just shut up, bitch! You are just eating this up aren't you? All you've wanted was Jason all along, and now you think you can use your brat to trap him-"

Jason heard enough. He swung Sam around by her arm to face him. His grip was tight on her elbow, and he feared if he didn't keep it there, he would do bodily harm to her. He'd never hit a woman before, but the thought held a whole lot of appeal at that moment.

"You call my son a brat again, there won't be enough pieces to identify you." His voice was confident and held the iciness he was notorious for.Sam shook in fear from his words and the look on his face which verified that he was not to be messed with.

"So, that's it? She wins? She keeps your son from you and she winds up the winner? How is that fair, Jason? What about me?!"

Jason looked over at Elizabeth as he spoke."I chose to go along with her about letting Lucky think he's the father. I wanted to see her happy. I might not have even realized why at the time, but I would do anything to keep a smile on her face."

Elizabeth's eyes filled up with tears again, her heart suddenly filling with hope.

He looked back at Lucky, who had been quietly sitting on the coffee table, his head in his hands, obviously trying to process everything. He turned his attention back to Sam.

"I'm sorry that I kept this from you. I'm sorry that you were hurt. I'm not sorry about what happened that night. I'm not sorry that I have a beautiful little boy. I am definitely not sorry that Elizabeth is my son's mother."

He let go of Sam's arm and turned around, catching his breath, not wanting to look at the woman who he'd been with for three years, but never really knew.

"You have until morning to get your stuff and get out. I don't want you here."

"Jason, no! You can't do this Jason!" She went to grab his shoulder, and he spun around quickly catching her arm.

"You don't touch me again. From here on out, we are nothing to each other. Sonny seems to think you need to be taken care of, that being with him really was a scam. I'm not sure about that, but I told him I couldn't kill you. I just got out of jail on a murder charge and I'll be damned if I go back right now. My family needs me."

Sam looked at him in disgust. "Go to hell, Jason. You and your 'family.'"

Lucky got up and took Sam by the shoulders.

"Let's go Sam; we don't need to be here anymore."

As they walked to the door, Elizabeth rose from the couch.

"Lucky." She stopped them as they reached the door.

Lucky turned around, his eyes red and puffy from tears. He nodded.

"Goodbye, Lizzy."

Without another word, he turned, moving his hand to Sam's back, and ushered both of them out the door, closing it with a resounding thud.The noise of the door closing broke something in both Elizabeth and Jason. They saw the people they thought were their future walking out of their lives. What was supposed to hurt felt like relief.

Elizabeth looked down, wiping the tears from her cheeks before turning toward Jason."So," she said not wanting to meet his gaze, "what happens now?"


	6. Chapter 6

_"So," she said not wanting to meet his gaze, "what happens now?"_

Jason swallowed a lump in his throat, then turned his head slowly to wear Elizabeth was standing. She was facing the door, her back to him.

There were so many times when they were in this position, where they could tell each other exactly where they stood and what they felt for each other. Each time, however, both of them would cover. He was putting a stop to that right then and there. Today was the day that truth was to be told. He spent so many years denying the one thing he truly wanted: that was over.

He walked over to her and gently touched her shoulder. She turned slowly, nerves and anxiety taking over her body. When she looked up at him, however, his eyes held a hope in them that she never quite saw before.

He looked deep into her eyes and took her hand, gently running his thumb over the top.

"Now we figure out what comes next."

Elizabeth nodded, unable to move her eyes from his gaze.

"How do we know what that is?"

He slid a piece of her hair behind her ears with his free hand, his knuckles softly grazing her cheek.

"We finally just listen to our hearts."

A tear ran down Elizabeth's cheek. Hope spread through her whole being at his words. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. It was time to let it all out, and deal with what is to come. A small, mischievous smile graced her lips.

"Okay, you first."

A chuckle escaped his lips at her challenge. He knew it was only fair, though. She had already told him once that she loved him, even though it was followed up by all the reasons they could never be. It was his turn to let it all hang out, so to speak.

He took a deep breath and looked down at the floor. He just wanted to collect his thoughts. He needed for this to come out right. He knew he wasn't good with words, but with her he was downright pitiful.

"I never had the ability to really ever tell you what you mean to me. I told you once there were no words for what I feel for you, and that is partly true. I just didn't know how to express it back then. The past few years, I kind of suppressed everything I felt for you, because then I could move on. It was always there though. You have been a constant in my life, even when you and I weren't really talking. Last summer was a tough one for both of us, but we supported each other, and I got my best friend back. You stuck up for me, you listened to me, and you were there for me. My life seemed better because you were a part of it."

He paused and took her other hand, pulling her to the couch. He was nervous, and needed to regroup. Sitting back on the cushions, he turned to face her, his hands still holding on to hers. Looking down on their intertwined hands, he continued.

"The night you came to me, we were in the same place. We leaned on each other. But it was so much more than that for me. That night brought me the one thing I'd always wanted, but never thought I could have; you. I know we said it was just for that night, but ever since then, even when I thought you were carrying Lucky's baby, I wanted it to be more than that one night. That's part of the reason I could never really reconnect with Sam. Part of me was still there, in that night, with you in my arms." He fought back tears. "I love you, Elizabeth. I want to be with you, not just because of Jake, because you are who I want in my life. I want to be a father to my son and Cameron, if you'd let me. He's a great kid, and he deserves the best. I want to be a family, the four of us. My life is still dangerous, but I will do everything I can to protect all of you. I need you, Elizabeth. I never realized just how much until recently." He looked up from their hands to her face, which was drenched with tears. She was silently sobbing. His heart broke at the sight, and he reached up to wipe some of the tears from her cheek.

"Don't cry, Elizabeth. I hate it when you cry." He was fighting off his own tears as he watched her.

She shook her head and smiled softly, one of her hands slipping out of his to cup his cheek.

"Jason, I never thought I'd hear you say so much at one time. I am the one who rambles." They both laughed softly for a moment, and then she turned serious again. "The one thing I've always wanted was to just know I had a small place in your life. Being your friend, it seemed like enough for a while. I had once again, listened as everyone else dictated to me what I should do and who I should be with. I thought Lucky was the safe choice, but I was wrong." She paused a moment, breathing in and out slowly, trying to keep her composure. "As we both just recently learned, danger is everywhere. We are just as safe with you as we would be with anyone else really. Your life and how you live it, well that was my excuse. I always had faith that you would keep me and the boys out of danger. It was my heart that I was trying to protect. That night we created Jake, was also the night that my feelings for you came back to me, all at once. It seemed to hit me in the face. I tried to control it, I tried to deny it, but I couldn't. I saw how much you loved Sam, though, so I tried to put all those feelings aside, because all I've ever wanted for you was to be happy. I thought remarrying Lucky would free you from any obligation you felt for me." The tears started flowing freely. "I can't do it anymore. I'm not going to sacrifice my life for someone else's and I'm not going to deny what I've been feeling for so many years." She took her other hand from his grasp and held the other cheek. Moving her head close to his, her thumbs caressing his face softly, she looked into his eyes, her voice filled with confidence, "I love you, Jason Morgan. I want to be a family with you, Cam, and Jake. Cameron would be a very lucky boy to have you as a father to him. He would know what loyalty and trust really is. They will both know that there will always be someone who is there for them, no matter what. You are my safe place. I'm done doing everything for everyone else. This time I'm going to be selfish and take what I want. I want to be with you too."

Jason laughed, looking down, tears filling his eyes.

"Finally, we agree on something."

Elizabeth laughed, a full rich laugh, one that hadn't been heard from her in a long, long time. He pulled her into his arms, holding her close as they cried, not from heartache, for the freedom they felt in each other's arms.

Jason pulled back just a bit to capture her lips in a soft kiss, both savoring the moment. As he pulled back from the kiss, she grabbed the back of his head, kissing him with all the pent-up passion she'd had held in since that hot August night, and he responded in kind.

The pair broke apart only when air became an issue.

His hands ran down her long hair behind her, her hands running up and down his chest seductively.

"You know, Gram has the boys. Spinelli is out, most likely following Lulu around."

Jason nodded, liking where she was headed.

She moved to slide into his lap, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, then layed her head on his shoulder, softly kissing the warm flesh of his neck, and nibbling on his ear as she spoke.

"Why don't we get reacquainted?" She nipped at the bottom of his lobe softly, causing him to groan.

"I love the sound of that." Without warning he stood up with her in his arms, causing her to squeal in delight. He walked around the couch and placed her on the edge of the pool table, standing between her legs. He held her by her hips, her legs wrapping around his waist. He looked deep into her eyes, his voice raspy.

"I love you Elizabeth."

"I love you too, Jason."


	7. Epilogue

**Six months later**

Jason quickly slipped his leg from around his bike and held out his hand for Elizabeth as she slid off the seat.

"Jason, what are we doing here?"

"Do you remember this place?"

She looked up at him and noticed he was fidgety. Now that she thought about it, he'd been fidgety all day. She reluctantly moved her eyes from his to look around, confused.

"Yeah, this is the grounds you took me to, the one with the statue. Jason, what-"

"Come with me."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down a small path. She had to jog just to keep up with him.

"Jason, can you please slow down. I can't walk that fast."

He wasn't listening. It was clear he had a destination in mind, and wanted, no needed, to get there now.She didn't even notice when he stopped abruptly and preceded to slam right into his back.He pulled her in front of him and let go of her hand, leaning over her shoulder to softly whisper in her ear, and pointed over to what was once a small clearing.

"Look." Was the only thing he said.

Her eyes shifted and landed on a beautiful house.

"Jason, it's beautiful, but I don't understand-"

He cut her off nervously."You remember that day we took the boys to the park, and you mentioned how someday you would like for them to have a big yard to play in. I asked you what kind of house you wanted, what your dream house would be, remember?"

She nodded, still slightly confused. "Yeah." Suddenly she looked up at the house again, her eyes filled with shock, then she turned and looked at Jason. "This is the house. This is what I described to you. Jason, how did you-"

He smiled as she spoke, relieved to see the excitement in her eyes and her voice.

"After we got home that night I called in a few favors. The contractors would keep me up to date on everything that was going on. I wanted to make it exactly how you described. So how'd I do?"

Elizabeth turned around again, stunned, her mouth hanging open. It was exactly how she envisioned her dream house would be, from the light stone exterior, to the porch that wrapped completely around to the back. The door was large and curved on the top, stained in a rich mahogany shade. There were flower beds along the front against the house, and a pathway leading up to the steps of the porch.

Her eyes glistened with tears as she took in everything. He stepped closer to her as he watched her expressions. He slipped his hands onto her shoulders and squeezed softly, letting her absorb everything. He leaned in and kissed the curve of her neck and shoulder softly.

"It has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a huge kitchen and family room, a formal dining room, an office, a basement where we can put a playroom, and a studio for your painting."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and sobbed softly. He suddenly felt nervous and wondered what she was thinking. He turned her to face him, holding her cheeks in his hands.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to exclude you from the decision making. IF you don't like it, we can-"

She stopped him with a firm, yet passionate kiss on his lips, wrapping her arms firmly around his neck. Startled for just a moment, he returned the kiss with enthusiasm, gliding his tongue along her lip for entrance. She obliged willingly, her own tongue meeting his in her mouth, sliding hers along his.When air became an issue, they finally broke apart, resting their foreheads against each other. They stood there, wrapped in each other's arms for a minute before she was able to speak.

"This is so beautiful Jason. Thank you so much."

He smiled softly, his hand caressing her cheek.

"It's nothing compared to everything you've given me. I have a family now, with two of the best sons anyone could ask for. You've given me your love, which is something I've always wanted, even when I didn't know I wanted it, even though I know I don't deserve it."

"You deserve the world, Jason Morgan. I know now what a huge mistake I made remarrying Lucky. The boys are so fortunate to have you for their father. They are loved and they know that they come first in your life. You've made a home for them. You reached inside my dreams, and made every one of them come true. I love you so much."

"I love you too. With all that we've gone through these past few months, the one thing that didn't falter was our connection. Through all the backlash from our secret, we stayed strong, because we stood together. We may have lost some people in our lives along the way, but we never lost each other. That's all that matters."

She smiled, and her whole face lit up. Her brow lifted mischievously as she took his hand, walking backwards.

"Show me everything."

He smiled as she pulled him and they both took off in a run to see their new home.

Later, as they snuggled on the front step, his back leaning against the railing, her back resting against his stomach, he kissed the back of her head.

"We should be heading back soon."

She shook her head, sighing contently.

"We don't have to rush, Carly said she'd take the boys for the night. Cam and Morgan are practically joined at the hip anymore, and Carly just adores Jake."

Jason chuckled softly and shook his head.

"You and Carly getting along, I don't think I ever saw that one coming."

Elizabeth shrugged. "We'll never be best buddies and we still have moments where I just want to rip every hair out of her head, but she's trying, even though I know it's only because you threatened to cut her out of your life for good. And because she is trying, I will try too."

"Well, she's also mellowed out a little too since she realized that she and Jax were having a baby. A little girl. Can you imagine the wardrobe that kid will have?"

Elizabeth shudders and laughs.

"I'd rather not think about it."

"Hey, Sonny asked us over for dinner tomorrow night. Seems he and Alexis have an announcement to make."

"Hmm, bout time they're getting married."

Jason looked down at her, a confused look on his face.

"How do you know that?"

"Oh come on, Jason. She's been practically living there, and they've been together for almost as long as we have, what else could it be?"

Jason thought about it and shrugged. He didn't care what the news was, as long as Sonny and Alexis were happy.

Elizabeth looked down and nibbled on her bottom lip nervously, not wanting to have this conversation, but knowing she should.

"I, uh, heard from Lucky today."

She felt him stiffen at the mention of her ex-husband. Lucky had the decency to not fight the divorce, which has just recently been finalized with the courts. It didn't excuse all the pain he had caused Elizabeth, and Jason would never forget nor forgive him for that.

"What did he have to say?"

"He's doing well. He's moving into undercover work. He's happy. He wished us well. He also told me that he and Sam have started seeing each other."

The sound of his ex-fiancé's name caught him off guard. He held no residual feelings for her, but never even contemplated the thought of her hooking up with Lucky.

"Hmm, interesting. As long as they stay away from us, I don't care."

Elizabeth smiled and settled back more comfortably against his chest.

"So we can move in whenever you are done decorating and furnishing the place."

"Good, I already have so many ideas. Oh, just one thing though; what is Spinelli's favorite color?"

Jason's eyebrows creased in confusion and he shook his head.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

She shrugged and smirked.

"I want to make sure his room is to his liking, and I know for sure it can't be pink."

Jason groaned as if he was in pain, but Elizabeth knew that he was glad she wanted the young man to live with them. The boy had grown to become a valued friend to Jason, a confidant when he really needed it, and Jason's most devoted supporter.

"Thank you so much. Everything is perfect, Jason."

She closed her eyes, her head resting against his shoulder comfortably.

"Almost everything."

She opened her eyes and in front of her was a beautiful round-cut diamond ring, with a small red stone on either side. The band was platinum and was very delicate. It wasn't big or extravagant.

"I know we talked about marriage before but I never seemed to ask you the right way. So let me try this again: Elizabeth, will you marry me? The only thing left to make this absolutely perfect is you becoming my wife."

She smiled as a tear ran softly down her cheek. Her head nodded slowly.

"Yes, Jason. I'll marry you."

She looked up at him and smiled as he slipped the ring onto her finger, then looked down at her and kissed her softly.There was a peace that came over them. Of course they knew that life would not always be this good, and things were not always going to be simple. Their lives were anything but ordinary, but as long as they knew they had each other, they could make it through anything.

The End.


End file.
